Gel Versus Cortisone
We get asked about this one a lot. A cortisone shot is a steroid, and its whole job is to knock down swelling, so some people feel better by the next morning. The catch is that it might only last three or four weeks. Gel is something else. It’s hyaluronic acid, which is basically a lab-made version of the slick, egg-white-thick fluid that’s supposed to be inside your knee already. Arthritis turns that fluid thin and runny, and the gel is meant to replace some of what’s been lost so the joint doesn’t grind as much.
Don’t expect gel to work overnight, because it usually takes a few weeks. The upside is that when it does help, people often get several months out of it, which is longer than cortisone tends to last.
What a Series Looks Like
Depending on the brand, you might get one shot and be done. Other brands are given as two to five shots spread over a few weeks, and a typical schedule goes something like this:
- Week one is your first injection, and we’ll drain extra fluid from the knee if it’s swollen.
- In weeks two and three you come back for the next shots, and each visit is short.
- For the next few weeks you go about your normal life and keep up with your exercises.
- Somewhere around a month to six weeks after the last shot, most people who respond start to notice the knee feels looser.
You can walk out of the office on your own after each shot. We’ll just ask you to skip the long hikes and heavy leg workouts for a couple of days.
Questions We’ll Ask You First
Not every knee is a good match, so we’ll go over a few things together. How bad does your X-ray look? Gel shots tend to do better in knees with some cartilage left than in knees that are fully bone-on-bone. What have you already tried, and did any of it help? We’ll also ask if you have diabetes, since gel shots don’t raise blood sugar the way steroid shots can. And we’ll ask what you want out of it, whether that’s playing with the grandkids on the floor, getting back out on the trails on Saturdays, or just putting off a knee replacement for a while.
Shots Plus Strength
Even when gel injections help, they work best alongside exercise. Strong thigh and hip muscles take load off the knee every time you stand up or climb a step. So we’ll keep you on a simple routine with things like chair stands and straight leg raises.
If you’ve been curious about gel injections for your knee, book a visit with Modern Medicine of South East Tucson, AZ. We’ll look at your knee and tell you honestly whether they’re worth trying.
